z 


C95 
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Library 
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Library  of  Congress 


L  C.   PRINTED   CARDS 

HOW  TO   ORDER 
and    USE    THEM 


BY 

CHARLES    HARRIS    HA8TINGS 

CHIEF,  CARD  SECTION 


WASHINGTON 

GOVERNMENT   PRINTING  OFFICE 

LIBRARY   BRANCH,  1909 


Library  of  Congress 


L  C.   PRINTED   CARDS 

HOW   TO   ORDER 
and    USE    THEM 


BY 

CHARLES    HARRIS    HASTINGS 

CHIEF,  CARD   SECTION 


WASHINGTON 

GOVERNMENT   PRINTING   OFFICE 

LIBRARY   BRANCH,  1909 


i 


CONTENTS 

PAGE 

Prefatory  note 3 

§1.     Characteristics  of  the  L.  C.  cards 5 

£2.     How  the  cards   are  used   for   a   dictionary 

catalog 6-9 

§3.     How  used  for  shelflists  and  systematic  cat- 
alogs  and   bibliographies 10 

|4.     Scope  and  fullness  of  the  stock  of  printed 

cards 11 

§5.     General  suggestions  as  to  ordering  cards —  12 

:§6.     How  to  order  by  author  and  title 12-13 

§7.     How  to  order  by  card  number 14-15 

i§8.     To  indicate  number  of  cards  wanted  by  a 

fixed  number  or   formula 15-16 

§9.     Use  of  subscriber's  card;  variation  in  edi- 
tion   16-17 

§10.  Orders  held  for  cards;  explanatory  checks-  17-18 

§11.  Orders  by  series  and  by  set 19 

§12.  Orders  by  subject  for  cards  and  proof  sheets  20-21 

§13.  Price  of  cards 21-22 

§14.  Method  of  payment 22 

§15.  Card   distribution   work  of   the   Library  of 

Congress 23 

§16.  Publications  of  the  Card  Section 24 


L.  C.  card  9-35008 


!UN 


UNIV'E 


PREFATORY  NOTE 

HT  HIS  pamphlet  is  designed  to  meet  a  demand  for  a 
popular  statement  of  methods  of  ordering  and 
using  the  L.  C.  printed  cards.  It  is  intended  to  furnish 
(1)  the  information  which  a  library  should  have  before 
beginning  to  order  cards  for  use  in  cataloging,  (2)  the 
information  needed  by  the  specialist  who  desires  to 
order  cards  as  material  for  a  card  bibliography,  (3)  the 
information  needed  by  students  of  library  economy  who 
wish  to  understand  the  essential  features  of  the  work. 
It  is  designed  to  supersede  the  Handbook  of  Card  Dis- 
tribution so  far  as  the  needs  of  the  last  two  classes  are 
concerned ;  but  it  is  not  designed  to  supersede  the  Hand- 
book entirely  as  a  guide  to  the  ordering  and  use  of  the 
printed  cards  for  cataloging  books.  Those  responsible 
for  ordering  and  using  the  L.  C.  cards  for  a  library 
catalog  will  get  better  results  by  reading  the  Handbook 
carefully  and  referring  frequently  to  the  full  statements 
there  given.  Most  of  the  sample  cards  and  order  slips 
shown  are  reproduced  from  those  in  the  Handbook. 

C.  H.  Hastings 
Chief  of  the  Card  Section 
Herbert  Putnam 

Librarian  of  Congress 

Washington,  D.  C,  June  22,  1909 


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Characteristics  of  the  L.  C.  Cards 

§1.  One  form  of  card  only  is  printed  for  a  book,  viz :- 
the  "main  entry"  card  (sample  1,  on  opposite  page). 
Author's  real  name  is  given  in  full,  dates  of  birth  and 
death  being  added  when  practicable.  Title  of  book  is- 
usually  given  in  full.  The  imprint  is  frequently  short- 
ened and  simplified.  Collation  is  full  enough  to  describe 
accurately  the  physical  makeup  of  the  book.  Contents 
and  notes  are  frequently  added.  Notes  are  descriptive; 
evaluation  is  not  attempted.  The  headings  used  at  L.  C. 
for  secondary  entries  are  indicated  on  most  of  the  cards 
in  stock  for  books  which  require  secondary  entries  other 
than  title  entry.  Subject1  entries  are  numbered  in  arable, 
added3  entries  in  roman  figures.  "Card  number"3  is 
given  at  the  lower  right  margin  of  the  card.  Number 
preceding  dash  indicates  year,  number  following  dash 
indicates  number  of  card  in  series  for  that  year.  L.  C. 
class  and  book  number  is  given  near  center  of  lower 
margin.*  Cards  are  of  the  "standard"  size,  7£  x  12£  cm. 
(about  2f|  x  4|f  in.).  Card  stock  is  approximately 
1/100  inch  (1/4  mm.)  thick  and  is  the  best  obtainable. 
(See  further  Handbook,  p.  11-13.) 

1  Subject  entries  are  not  indicated,  as  a  rule,  on  cards  for  books  which  at 
the  time  the  card  was  printed  were  in  unreclassified  sections  of  the  Library. 
(Sample  6,  p.  8.) 

2  Term  "added  entries"  is  used  to  cover  all  secondary  entries  except 
subject  entries,  but  title  entry  is  not  included  in  the  added  entries  indi- 
cated on  the  cards.     (Samples  1-4,  p.  4,  6,  7.) 

8  On  cards  printed  before  1902  various  experiments  in  numbering  were 
tried.  On  many  of  these  the  card  number  is  preceded  by  full  date;  on 
some  card  number  only  is  given.  All  cards  for  which  copy  is  prepared  by 
the  Catalogue  Division  of  the  Library  of  Congress  are  now  numbered  uni- 
formly as  shown  in  samples.  Five  series  of  cards  printed  and  distributed 
by  L.  C,  for  which  copy  is  prepared  by  other  U.  S.  libraries,  and  one  foj 
which  copy  is  prepared  by  L.  C.  Map  Division,  are  distinguished  by  pre- 
fixes Agr,  G  S,  E,  W,  War,  Maps. 

<The  "Dewey  decimal"  and  "Cutter  expansive"  class  marks  are  also 
given  on  the  special  edition  of  cards  for  books  listed  in  the  A.  L.  A.  Cata- 
log (1904).     (Sample  8,  p.  10.) 

1*  5 


How  the  Cards  are  Used  for  a  Dictionary  Catalog1 

§2.  As  the  card  furnished  by  L.  C.  is  a  main  entry 
card  (sample  1,  p.  4)  when  used  for  main  entries,  it 
needs  merely  to  have  the  shelf  marks  for  the  book  add- 
ed at  the  upper  left  corner  and  checks  or  notes  supplied 
as  a  means  of  tracing  secondary  entries. 

If  pseudonym  or  popular  name  of  author  is  preferred 
to  real  name  printed  on  the  card  and  latter  can  not  be 
readily  changed  to  former,  write  preferred  name  above 
in  the  same  way  that  name  is  written  above  for  head- 
ing of  secondary  entry  (sample  3,  p.  7),  without  expla- 
nation or  with  explanatory  words  added,  e.  g.,  "pseud. 
•of."  It  is  recommended  that  author's  name  be  thus 
changed  on  main  card  only. 

If  card  received  is  for  a  different  edition  of  the  book 
(see  p.  16),  change  varying  item  neatly  in  hand  printing 
•or  typewriting  to  fit  the  book,  making  such  changes  only 
as  are  absolutely  necessary.  Some  public  libraries  use 
card  unchanged  in  the  case  of  fiction  and  popular  works 
which  have  to  be  renewed  frequently. 


1  No  attempt  will  here  be  made  to  explain  the  elementary  principles  and 
terms  of  cataloging.  A  knowledge  of  such  principles  and  terms  will  be 
assumed.  Explanation  ol  elementary  processes  in  cataloging  are  given 
only  in  so  far  as  the  use  of  printed  cards  in  place  of  manuscript  cards  affects 
these  processes.  Those  who  undertake  to  use  the  L.  C.  cards  without 
having  had  special  training  in  cataloging  should  study  one  or  more  of  the 
excellent  manuals  now  available  on  the  subject.  The  following  are  espe- 
cially recommended : 

N.  Y.  State  Library.  Simplified  library  school  rules.  Bost.,  Library 
Bureau,  1898.  Si. 50.  [Contains  80  sample  cards,  accession  and  shelflist 
rules,  instructions  for  and  samples  of  library  handwriting,  and  other  useful 
information.] 

Hitchler,  Theresa.  Cataloging  for  small  libraries.  (Library  tract,  No.  7.) 
A.  L.  A.  Publishing  Board,  34  Newberry  street,  Boston.  $0.15.  [Contains 
86  sample  cards  and  a  glossary  of  terms  used  in  cataloging,  bibliography, 
and  typography ;  gives  good  advice.] 

Catalog  rules  :  Author  and  title  entries,  comp.  by  committees  of  the 
American  Library  Association  and  the  British  Library  Association.  Bost., 
A.  L.  A.  Publishing  Board,  1908.  $0.60.  [Full  and  authoritative;  24  sam- 
ple cards,  some  of  them  L.  C.  cards.] 


When  used  for  secondary  entries  card  must  be  adapted 
for  such  entries  by  adding  in  typewriting  at  the  top  the 
heading   required    for   secondary   entry    (sampls   2-4)  .* 


LIGHTNING. 

Plammarion,  Camille  i.  e.  Nicolas  Camille,  1842- 

Thunder  and  lightning,  by  Camille  Flammarion.  Tr. 
by  Walter  Mostyn  ...  Boston,  Little,  Brown,  and  com- 
pany, 1906. 

3  p.  1.,  281  p.,  1  I.    front.    19JOT 

Contents. — The  victims  of  lightning. — Atmospheric  electricity  and  storm- 
clouds. —  The  flash  and  the  sound.  —  Fireballs.  —  The  effects  of  lightning: 
On  mankind.  On  animals.  On  trees  and  plants.  On  metals,  objects, 
houses,  etc. — Lightning  conductors. — Pictures  made  by  lightning. 

1.  Lightning.        I.  Mostyn,  Walter,  tr 


Library  of  Congress 


QC966.FS8 


6-17880 


SAMPLE    2 — SUBJECT    ENTRY    (GENERAL) 


Mostyn,  Walter,  tr» 

Flammarion,  Camille  i.  e.  Nicolas  Camille,  1842- 

Thunder  and  lightning,  by  Garni!  le  Flammarion.  Tr. 
by  "Walter  Mostyn  ...  Boston,  Little,  Brown,  and  com- 
pany, 1906. 

3  p.  L,  281  p.,  1  1.    front.    19}1". 

Contents. — The  victims  of  lightning. — Atmospheric  electricity  and  storm- 
clouds. —The  flash  and  the  sound.  —  Fireballs.  —  The  effects  of  lightning: 
On  mankind.  On  animals.  On  trees  and  plants.  On  metals,  objects, 
houses,  etc. — Lightning  conductors. — Pictures  made  by  lightning. 


1.  Lightning.        i.  Mostyn,  Walter,  tr. 


Library  of  Congress 


QC966.F58 


6-17S80 


SAMPLE    3 — ADDED    ENTRY    FOR    TRANSLATOR;    SAME    FORM    WOULD    BE 
USED    FOR    EDITOR    OR   JOINT    AUTHOR 


1  Samples  2-8  are  reduced  to  about  three-fifths  size.      Sample  1,  p.  4, 
is  full  size. 


When  used  for  analytics,  i  e.  for  making  entries  for 
portions  of  a  book,  other  slight  changes  in  ms.  are  re- 
quired (samples  5-7). 


Thunder  and  lightning. 

Flammarion,  Camille  i.  e.  Nicolas  Camille,  1842- 

Thimder  and  lightning,  by  Camille  Flammarion.  Tr. 
by  Walter  Mostyn  ...  Boston,  Little,  Brown,  and  com- 
pany, 1906. 

3  p.  1.,  281  p.,  1  1.    front.    l0^0-. 

Contents. — The  victims  of  lightning. — Atmospheric  electricity  and  storm- 
clouds. —  The  flash  and  the  sound.  —  Fireballs.  —  The  effects  of  lightning: 
On  mankind.  On  animals.  On  trees  and  plants.  On  metals,  objects, 
houses,  etc. — Lightning  conductors. — Pictures  made  by  lightning. 


I.  Lightning.        I.  Mostyn,  Walter,  tr. 


Library  of  Congress 


QC966.FS8 


6-17880 


SAMPLE    4 — TITLE    ENTRY 


WRITING. 

[Nicoll,  William  Robertson]  1851- 

sXetters  on  life,  by  Claudius  Clear  ipseud.)    New  York, 
Dddd,  Mead  &  company,  1901. 

vh\  277  p.    20$"" 

Consents. — The  art  of  life. — That  literature  is  autobiography. — The  art 
of  conversation. — On  the  art  of  taking  things  coolly. — Vanity  and  its  mor- 
tificationsV-Some  questions  about  holidays. — "When  three  stars  came 
out." — Midrtight  tea. — Firing  out  the  fools. — "A  fellow  by  the  name  of 
Rowan." — Taking  good  men  into  confidence. — The  sin  of  overwork. — Sam- 
uel.— How  to\emember  and  how  to  forget. — "R.  S.  V.  P." — Concerning 
oTder  and  method. — Should  old  letters  be  kept? — The  secret  of  Mrs.  Far- 
frae. — Brilliance.\On  handwriting. — The  happy  life.— The  man  in  the 
street.  —  The  zest  of  life.  —  Good  manners.  —  On  growing  old.  —  Broken- 
hearted.— The  innermost  room. 


Library  of  Congress 


2-16171 


SAMPLE    5 — SUBJECT   ANALYTIC    (ITEM    ANALYZED   PRINTED   ON    CARD) 

Headings  for  secondary  entries  shown  on  cards  are 
three-fifths  size  only.  If  headings  are  supplied  in  hand- 
writing, use  disjoined  library  hand;  if  in  typewriting,  use 
machine  equipped  with  pica  type  (10  letters  to  the  inch). 


It  is  recommended  that  subject  headings  be  written 
in  black  capitals. 


COLONIES. 

Smith,  Adam,  1723-1790. 

An  inquiry  into  the  nature  and  causes  of  the  wealth  of 
itions,  by  Adam  Smith,  ll.  d.    Ed.  by  James  E.  Thorold 
togera  ...     2d  ed.    Oxford,  Clarendon  press,  1880. 

12  v.    front,  (port)     23**. 

\"0f  colonies,"  v.    2.   v.   134-225. 


2-19692 


Library  of  Congress 


SAMPLE  6 — SUBJECT   ANALYTIC   (ITEM  ANALYZED  INDICATED    BY  MS.  NOTE) 


Funes, .Gregorio,  1749-1830. 

U.  B.    President,  1817-1825  (Monroe)  ...  Message 

from  the  President  ...     1818.     (Card  2) 

The  reports  of  T.  Bland,  the  third  member  of  the  commission,  together 
wijfh  other  documents  concerning  South  American  affairs,  are  issued  as 
H*use  doc.  48,  15th  Cong.,  2d  scss. 

/"Historical  sketch  of  the  revolution  of  the  United  Provinces  of  South 
America,    From   the   JMh   ot    May,    1 S H >.   until   the  opening  of   the    N.-itir.nal 
congress,  on  the  25th   of    March,    1X10.   written   bv   Dr.  Grcunno    Funes" 
p.  46-96. 

(15th  Cong.,  2d  sess.   House  doc.  2;  no. 
17  of  Congressional  series) 

I.  Rodney,  Caesar  Augustus,  1772-1824.  u.  Graham,  John.  1774-1820. 
III.  Funes,  Gregorio,  1749-1830. 

6-1394S 

Library  of  Congress  * 


SAMPLE    7 — AUTHOR    ANALYTIC    (ONE    CARD    IN   A   CONTINUED    ENTRY 
USED    SEPARATELY;    ADDITION    IN    MS.) 

Some  of  the  headings  for  secondary  entries  printed  on 
the  cards  are  too  detailed  for  the  catalog  of  a  small  li- 
brary. In  such  cases  an  abbreviated  heading  or  a  dif- 
ferent heading  should  be  used. 

See  further  Handbook,  p.  14-24,  58-65. 


10 


How  Used  for  Shelflists  and  Systematic  Catalogs  and 

Bibliographies 

§3.  Sample  8   shows   card   adapted   for   a   systematic 
catalog  or  shelflist  by  supplying  "Dewey  decimal"  class 


331 

W45 


Webb,  Sidney,  1859- 

Industrial  democracy,  by  Sidney  and  Beatrice  Webb. 
New  ed.  in  two  volumes  bound  in  one.  [4th  impression. 
5th  thousand]  London,  New  York,  and  Bombay,  Long- 
mans, Green  and  co.,  1902. 

Ixi,  929,  ill  p.  incl.  tables,    fold,  diagr.    22OT 

Bibliography:  p.  [879i-900. 

Contents. — pt.  i.  Trade  union  structures. — pt.  2.  Trade  union  func- 
tion.— pt.  3.  Trade  union  theory. — Appendices; 

1.  Trade-unions.  1.  Webb,  Beatrice  (Potter)  "Mrs.  Sidney  Webb," 

joint  author.    11.  Title. 

3-1444/4 
Library  of  Congress 

331  Hg 


SAMPLE    8 — SHELFLIST    CARD    (CARD    FOR    BOOK    IN    A.    L.    A.    CATALOG) 

number  and  "Cutter"  book  number.  Card  used  in  a 
systematic  bibliography  arranged  according  to  the  Deci- 
mal system  would  differ  only  in  omission  of  book  num- 
ber. Specialists  who  have  not  found  a  satisfactory 
scheme  for  classifying  their  bibliographic  material  may 
find  it  advantageous  to  compile  a  dictionary  bibliogra- 
phy in  the  way  described  in  §2.  When  the  new  classi- 
cation  of  the  Library  of  Congress,  now  in  process  of 
being  worked  out,  is  finished  and  fully  indexed,  it  should 
provide  an  excellent  scheme  for  systematic  bibliogra- 
phies, with  the  advantage  that  L.  C.  cards  included  in 
them  may  be  arranged  mechanically  by  the  class  marks 
printed  on  the  cards.1 

1  The  classification  schedules  for  American  history,  Bibliography,  Sci- 
ence, and  Music  have  already  been  printed,  but  all  except  that  for  Bibliog- 
raphy are  now  practically  out  of  print.  New  editions  will  probably  be 
printed  within  a  year. 


11 


Scope  and  Fullness  of  the  Stock  of  Cards 

§4.  The  Library  of  Congress  has  been  printing  cards 
for  its  accessions  of  books  copyrighted  in  U.  S.  A.  since 
July,  1898,  and  for  its  accessions  of  books  not  copy- 
righted in  U.  S.  A.  since  January,  1901.  The  work  of 
recataloging  the  entire  collection  with  printed  cards  was 
also  begun  in  1901.  All  classes  of  books  are  now  re- 
cataloged  and  within  the  scope  of  the  stock  of  printed 
cards  except  those  named  below: 


CLASSES    NOT   YET   WITHIN   THE   SCOPE   OF   THE    STOCK 


biography  language  and  music  (scores) 

FINE   ARTS  LITERATURE  PHILOSOPHY 

GENEALOGY  LAW  RELIGION 

It  should  be  kept  in  mind,  however,  that  books  in 
these  excepted  classes  which  were  copyrighted  in  U.  S. 
A.  after  1898,  or  published  in  U.  S.  A.  or  abroad  after 
1901,  are  within  the  scope  of  the  stock. 

Libraries  intending  to  recatalog  their  collections  with 
L.  C.  cards  should  arrange  to  recatalog  first  the  classes 
which  are  now  within  the  scope  of  the  stock. 

The  stock  of  cards  is  very  complete  in  all  classes  for 
books  which  were  copyrighted  in  U.  S.  A.  For  books 
not  copyrighted  in  U.  S.  A.  the  stock  is  very  complete 
in  Bibliography  and  American  history.  In  other  classes, 
it  is  fairly  complete  for  books  in  English,  but  is  quite 
incomplete  for  books  in  foreign  languages.  The  per- 
centage obtained  from  orders  for  cards  for  fiction  in 
foreign  languages  is  so  small  that  cards  should  not  be 
ordered  for  this  class.  (See  further  Handbook,  p.  7- 
10.) 


12 


General  Suggestions  as  to  Ordering  Cards 

§5.  Slips  used  for  orders  should  be  about  the  same 
size  as  the  L.  C.  cards.  It  is  desirable  to  have  name  of 
library  stamped  or  printed  on  each  slip.  Slips  with  one 
title  or  card  number  on  a  slip  (samples  o-c,  below) 
are,  as  a  rule.,  the  best  form  of  order.  Orders  by  card 
number  in  the  form  of  slips  or  sheets  filled  with  columns 
of  numbers  are  preferred  by  some  libraries.  Orders 
by  author  and  title  in  the  form  of  sheets  containing 
more  than  one  title  should  be  used  only  when  it  is  de- 
sired to  make  use  of  lists  prepared  for  other  purposes, 
e.  g.,  as  orders  for  books.  Some  libraries  order  cards 
for  current  books  when  they  order  the  books.  Sub- 
scribers are  advised  to  order  on  a  small  scale  at  first 
and  experiment  until  the  method  which  best  suits  their 
needs  is  found.     (See  further  Handbook,  p.  26-27,  40- 

42.) 

How  to  Order  by  Author  and  Title 

§6.  Sample  a  shows  the  most  satisfactory  form  of  au- 
thor-and-title  order  slip.1     Give  author's  name  in  full  as 


SAMPLE   a — AUTHOR   AND   TITLE  ORDER   SLIP — ONE   TITLE    TO    THE 

SLIP — HANDWRITTEN 


1  All  facsimiles  of  order  slips  shown  below  are  reduced  to  about  three-fifths 
size. 


13 


found  on  title-page  or  in  list  and  write  surname  with 
extra  care.  Ordinary  abbreviations  for  given  names 
may  be  used.  Title  of  book  may  be  shortened,  but  first 
word  (articles  excepted)  should  never  be  omitted.  Ab- 
breviate place  and  publisher.  Never  omit  date.  If  no 
date  is  given,  write  n.  d.  If  edition  is  other  than  first, 
indicate  this  after  title.  If  it  is  known  that  the  book 
is  copyrighted  in  U.  S.  A.,  affix  c  to  date  to  indicate  this. 
Indicate  number  of  cards  wanted  at  right  of  author's 
name  unless  number  wanted  is  indicated  by  a  number 
or  formula  on  subscriber's  card  (see  §8,  9).  Do  not 
use  the  library  hand  in  writing  order  slips.  Cultivate 
the  habit  of  making  out  the  slips  easily,  quickly  and 
legibly.     Sample  b  shows  a  typewritten  slip.     If  recat- 


The  far  North-west.  [Comp»  by  J.  C. 
Dana  and  others  for  members  of  the 
A.  L.  A.]  Newark,  Pub.  for  the  trav- 
elers, 1906     52 

6 

B _  CITY  LIBRARY 

SAMPLE   b — AUTHOR    AND    TITLE    ORDER    SLIP — ONE    TITLE    TO   THE 

SLIP TYPEWRITTEN 

aloging,  make  use  of  old  main  entry  or  shelflist  cards  as 
order  slips.  Arrange  order  slips  alphabetically  as  cards 
are  arranged  in  an  author  catalog.  (See  further  Hand- 
book, p.  31-35.) 


14 


How  to  Order  by  Card  Number 

§7.  Ordering  by  card  number  is  a  very  satisfactory 
method  provided  that  the  numbers  can  be  obtained  with- 
out much  searching.    Sample  c  shows  the  correct  form 


5- 

(w  ko/h 

H 

PUBLIC  LIBRARY. 



SAMPLE    C — ORDER    BY    CARD    NUMBER — ONE    TITLE   TO    THE   SLIP 

of  order  slip.  Number  following  the  slanting  line  in- 
dicates the  number  of  copies  wanted.  If  number  of 
copies  wanted  is  indicated  on  subscriber's  card  (see  §8, 
9),  slanting  line  and  number  following  it  are  of  course 
omitted.  The  L.  C.  card  numbers  can  be  obtained  from 
the  following  sources:  (1)  Depository  sets  located  in 
leading  cities  and  centers  of  literary  activity ;  (2)  Proof- 
sheets  of  L.  C.  cards;  (3)  Traveling  catalogs;  (4)  Cur- 
rent booklists.,  viz :  "Cumulative  book  index,"  "United 
States  catalog,"  "Book  review  digest,"  "A.  L.  A.  book- 
list," "Monthly  catalogue  U.  S.  public  documents," 
"Best  books"  (annual,  pub.  by  N.  Y.  State  Library), 
"Catalogue  of  copyright  entries,  Part  1,"  "Accessions 
to  the  department  library  of  the  U.  S.  Department  of 
Agriculture."  The  dictionary  portion  of  the  A.  L.  A. 
Catalog  (1904)  contains  (following  price  of  book)  con- 
secutive numbers  to  be  used  like  the  regular  L.  C.  nura- 


15 


bers  in  ordering  cards.  The  number  following  the  con- 
secutive number,  separated  from  it  by  a  slant  line,  in- 
dicates the  number  of  copies  of  the  card  required  for  a 
dictionary  catalog.  If  a  different  number  of  cards  is 
wanted,  different  number  is  to  be  given  after  slant  line. 
If  number  wanted  is  indicated  on  subscriber's  card  (see 
§8,  9),  slant  line  and  number  following  it  should  be 
omitted.  If  preferred,  order  slip  may  be  filled  with 
numbers  (sample  d).     No  matter  which  form  of  order 


1-3680/2  l-F-968/2        Agr.  3-250/4 

1-3795/4  l-F-1115/3       Agr.  4-115/5 
1-10614/3  Agr.  9-476/2 

l-Rc-614/5 

3/14617/5  l-Rc-6124/6       E  8-360/4 

5-114/2  81/3  G  S  4-420/5 

5-7913/5  387/2  Q   S  5-130/2 

9-745/3  Mar. 15, 99-117/3 

9-6411/3  Ja. 5, 00-15/6 

9-7614/4 

9-15680/2  12-00-76/2  War  8-14/4 


W  7-115/f 
W  9-97/3" 


C UNIVERSITY  LIBRARY. 


SAMPLE   d — ORDER    BY    CARD    NVMBER — SLIP   FILLED   WITH    NUMBERS 

is  used,  arrangement  should  be  in  increasing  order  of 
the  card  numbers  in  each  series  as  shown  in  sample  a. 
(See  further  Handbook,  p.  36-39.) 

To  Indicate  Number  of  Cards  Wanted  by  a  Fixed  Num- 
ber or  Formula 

§8.  To  obviate  the  necessity  of  examining  each  book 
to  see  how  many  copies  of  the  card  will  be  needed  to 
catalog  it  and  of  writing  this  number  on  each  individual 
order  slip,  many  libraries  give  standing  directions  as  to 
number  of  cards  wanted  by  means  of  a  fixed  number 
or  ''formula"  in  left  column  of  subscriber's  card    (see 


16 


§9).  In  the  formulas,  s  stands  for  "one  card  for  each 
of  the  subject  entries  indicated  on  the  card,"  a  for  "one 
card  for  each  of  the  added  entries  indicated  on  the 
card."  Number  written  before  s  is  to  be  added  to  num- 
ber indicated  by  s.  Number,  if  any,  written  after  ^  des- 
ignates number  of  cards  wanted  for  subject  entries 
when  no  subject  entries  are  indicated,  e.  g.: 

lsa  =  "Send  one  card,  plus  one  card  for  each  subject 
and  added  entry  indicated  on  the  card." 

lsla  =  "Send  one  card,  plus  one  card  for  each  sub- 
ject entry  indicated  on  the  card;  if  no  subject  entries 
are  indicated,  add  one  card ;  add  one  card  for  each 
added  entry  indicated." 

Formula  "lsla"  is  now  used  by  many  libraries.  Li- 
braries just  beginning  to  order  cards  are  advised  to  try 
it  first,  provided  that  a  copy  is  not  desired  for  shelf  list. 
If  a  copy  is  needed  for  shelflist,  the  formula  "2sla" 
should  first  be  tried.  If  a  library  makes  title  entries 
freely,  it  may  find  it  better  to  try  first  the  formula 
"2sla"  if  a  shelflist  card  is  not  needed,  "3sla"  if  shelf- 
list  card  is  needed.  Both  methods  of  indicating  number 
of  cards  wanted  can  be  used  at  the  same  time,  because 
it  is  understood  that  specific  indication  on  order  slip 
takes  precedence  of  the  more  general  indication  on  sub- 
scriber's card.     (See  further  Handbook,  p.  27-30.) 

Use  of  Subscriber's  Card;  Variation  in  Edition 

§9.  Standing  directions  from  libraries  as  to  their 
orders  are  noted  on  "subscriber's  card."  Items  shown 
in  first  and  third  columns  are  explained  in  §8  and  §10 
respectively.  In  the  second  column  the  variations  in 
edition  are  indicated  which  ordering  library  will  per- 
mit, in  case  L.  C.  does  not  have  a  card  for  the  edition 
for  which  cards  are  ordered.  Abbreviation  for  name 
of  library  is  supplied  by  L.  C,  other  items  by  subscriber. 
It  is  unnecessary  for  a  library  to  obtain  and  fill  out  sub- 


17 


scriber's  card  before  sending  in  first  order.  Order  can 
be  filled  fairly  satisfactorily  without  subscriber's  card 
provided  that  number  of  copies  wanted  is  indicated  on 


Arizona  University  Library, 
Tucson,   Arizona. 

Arizona  U 

Number  of  cards 
wanted  for  each 
book  (except 
when  number  is 
specifically    in- 
dicated   in  the 
order). 

2sla 

Handbook (190 7) 

P-  29.  §3- 

(Subscriber's) 
I      Card.       f 

Variation  in  edition  ac- 
cepted : 

a)  Date  of  publication 

different. 

b)  Edition  number  dif- 

ferent. 

c)  Place  and  publisher 

given   in   second 
place. 

d)  Place  and  publisher 

different. 

Orders  are 
to  be    held    on 
temporary    slips 
when   the  check 
is  Out,  C,  or  R, 

Handbook (190 7) 
P-  4«;  §3- 

Other  standing 
requests. 

Handbook    (1907)    p. 

42,    §!*■ 

Date         NOV.     16         .  1907. 
Signature : 

E L . 

kOVER) 

SAMPLE    SUBSCRIBER  S    CARD 

individual  .slips  or  by  a  note  placed  in  front  of  order, 
e.  g.,  "Please  send  lsla  cards  for  each  book"  (see  §8). 
A  supply  of  subscriber's  cards  is  sent  to  each  new  sub- 
scriber. These  are  to  be  used  over  and  over  until  worn 
out.  One  should  be  placed  in  front  of  every  order 
submitted. 

Orders  Held  for  Cards;  Explanatory  Checks 

§10.  Not  less  than  90%  of  the  cards  currently  ordered 
are  in  stock  and  can  be  shipped  at  once;  the  other  10% 
of  the  orders  submitted  are  dealt  with  essentially  as 
follows :  When  a  card  is  ordered  which  is  in  process  of 
printing  or  reprinting,  a  check  is  given  to  the  ordering 
library  to  indicate  why  card  is  not  sent  and  order  is 
noted  on  temporary  slip  in  catalog  of  the  Card  Section 
and  held  as  a  matter  of  course,  unless  ordering  library 
has  indicated  in  third  column  of  its  subscriber's  card 


Cdt^c^M  -:.^f 


that  it  can  not  wait  for  cards  in  process  of  printing. 

The  check  used  on  orders  thus  held  are  as  follows: 

Ont=  "Out  of  print;   cards  will  be  sent  within  two 
weeks." 
C  =  "Book  received  by  copyright ;  cards  will  be  sent 

within  three  weeks." 
R  =  "Book  received  by  purchase ;  cards  will  be  sent 
within  four  weeks  if  English,  within  six  weeks 
if  in  foreign  language." 

In  order  that  libraries  which  care  to  wait  may  event- 
ually obtain  cards  for  books  not  yet  received  by  L.  C, 
other  checks  are  used  to  indicate  to  the  ordering  library 
what  prospect  it  has  of  obtaining  cards,  viz: 

On  =  Book  ordered  in  North  America. 

Oe  =  Book  ordered  in  Europe. 

Re  =  Book  recommended  for  purchase. 

P      =  Book  being  considered  for  purchase. 

Ci?  =  Book  reported  copyrighted;   claim  now  being  investigated. 

C?    =  Does  the  book  contain  copyright   claim?     If  so,  please  quote  it 

and  case  will  be  investigated. 
D     =  Doubtful ;   chances  not  good. 
Np  =  No  prospect.  , 

In  the  case  of  titles  checked  with  any  of  the  checks 
named  above  except  Np,  ordering  library  may  return 
order  slip  to  be  held  for  periods  ranging  from  one  to 
thirty  weeks  ;  or  "week  number"  to  mark  limit  of  holding 
may  be  supplied  before  slip  is  sent  in  the  first  time. 
Limit  of  holding  slips  is  indicated  by  a  week  number 
(obtained  from  a  "calendar  card"  supplied  by  the  Card 
Section)  written  below  the  title  (see  sample  b,  p.  13). 
When  time  limit  expires,  if  cards  have  not  come  to 
hand,  title  is  returned  to  subscribing  library.  It  may 
again  be  returned  to  L.  C.  to  be  held  for  thirty  weeks,  if 
desired.  Once  a  week  all  the  cards  which  have  come  to 
hand  for  orders  held,  and  all  order  slips  on  which  time 
limit  has  expired,  are  sent  to  subscribing  libraries. 
Check  Np  is  final.  Order  slips  thus  checked  will  not  be 
held  even  though  the  subscribing  library  is  willing  to 
wait  indefinitely. 


19 


Orders  by  Series  and  by  Sets 

§11.  Orders  for  cards  for  publications  in  series  and 
for  special  sets  of  cards  can  be  given  in  a  note,  e.  g., 
"Please  send  this  library  isa  copies  of  each  card  for 
N.  Y.  State  Library  bulletin,  Bibliography,  from  no.  1  to 
date,  and  file  standing  order  for  cards  for  new  issues  in 
the  series ;  send  also  isa  copies  of  main  card  for  series." 

Libraries  which  submit  a  considerable  number  of 
orders  by  series  will  find  it  worth  while  to  adopt  the 
form  of  series  order  slip  recommended  in  Bulletin  16 
(sample  e)  : 


N.  Y.  State  Library. 

isa 

Bulletin.  Bibliography 

Ser. 

lea 

1— 

C COLLEGE  LIBRARY. 

SAMPLE    e — ORDER    BY    SERIES 


Bulletins  5,  9,  14,  15,  17-21  contain  lists  of  about  1,000 
series  and  sets,  including  many  series  of  publications  of 
universities  and  learned  societies,  for  which  cards  are  in 
stock.  Special  attention  is  called  to  the  sets  of  cards 
for  publications  of  the  U.  S.  Department  of  Agricul- 
ture, the  U.  S.  Geological  Survey,  and  the  U.  S.  Bureau 
of  Education,  noted  in  Bulletins  14,  15,  and  21. 

By  means  of  orders  by  series  and  subject  orders  for 
cards  or  proofsheets  (see  §12)  specialists  and  libraries 
having  special  collections  may  obtain  valuable  biblio- 
graphic material. 


20 


Orders  by  Subject  for  Cards  and  Proofsheets 

§12.  Current  cards  may  be  ordered  on  any  well  de- 
fined topic.  Cards  already  in  stock  may  be  ordered  on 
any  topic  which  is  brought  out  in  the  subject  catalogs 
of  the  Library  of  Congress.  If  desired,  the  order  may 
be  made  a  standing  order  to  cover  cards  issued  here- 
after on  the  topic.  Orders  may  be  restricted  quantita- 
tively in  various  ways,  e.  g.,  "All  cards  for  books  on 
forestry  published  since  1900,"  but  can  not  be  restricted 
qualitatively,  e.  g.,  "Cards  for  the  more  important  books 
on  forestry/'  Orders  may  be  given  in  a  letter  or  note, 
e.  g.: 

"Please  send  me  one  copy  of  each  card  printed  here- 
after for  current  books  on  American  genealogy;  include 
local  histories  which  contain  a  considerable  amount  of 
genealogical  material  and  biographies  which  are  largely 
genealogical." 

On  application  a  printed  form  will  be  supplied  by  the 
Card  Section  to  be  used  in  making  out  a  subject  order, 
but  use  of  this  form  is  optional.  Those  desiring  to 
place  subject  orders  on  a  number  of  related  topics,  e.  g. 
for  subgroups  in  Bibliography,  can  sometimes  define 
what  they  want  most  satisfactorily  by  referring  to  sub- 
classes in  the  schedules  of  the  Library  of  Congress  thus 
far  printed  (Bibliography,  American  History,  Science, 
Music;  see  §3,  foot-note). 

Before  the  catalog  cards  are  printed,  proofsheets  are 
struck  off,  each  strip  containing  five  titles,  usually. 
These  proofsheets  are  sold  in  complete  sets  at  an  annual 
subscription  price  of  $30.  The  entries  on  the  proof- 
sheets  are  classified,  and  it  is  possible  to  subscribe  to  any 


21 


class  at  the  price  of  lc.  per  strip.     The  classes  at  present 
are : 

American  genealogy.  Music. 

American  history  and  description.  Natural  history. 

Anatomy  and  physiology.  Philosophy  and  religion. 

Astronomy.  Physics  and  meteorology. 

Bibliography  (including  library'  sci-  Plant  and  animal  industry. 

ence)  Reference  cards. 

Botany.  Science. 

Education.  Social  sciences. 

Fiction  (English)  Technology. 

Fine  arts.  Titles  from  L.  C.  Division  of  Maps 
General  works.  and  Charts. 

Geography  and  anthropology'.  Titles  from  U.  S.  Dept.  of  Agriculture. 

History    and    description    (except  Titles  from  U.  S.  Geological  Survey. 

American)  Titles  from  Washington,  D.  C,  Pub- 
Law,  lie  Library. 

Literature  and  language.  Titles  from  Military  Information  Di- 
Medicine.  vision  Library  (War  Department) 

Military  and  naval  science.  Zoology. 

Price  of  Cards 

§13.  The  price  of  cards  varies  chiefly  according  to 
the  amount  of  work  required  in  selecting  and  shipping 
the  cards.  This  variation  in  price  affects  only  the  "first 
copy"  of  each  card  supplied  in  a  shipment ;  the  price  of 
each  copy  after  the  "first"  is  always  Jc.  If  cards  are 
ordered  by  card  number,  the  price  of  "first"  copy  is  2c. 
If  cards  are  ordered  for  a  single  entire  series  of  publi- 
cations, the  price  of  the  first  copy  is  usually  2c,  but  in 
the  case  of  certain  series  and  sets  of  publications  issued 
by  the  Department  of  Agriculture,  the  Geological  Sur- 
vey, and  the  Bureau  of  Education  (see  Bulletins  14,  15, 
21),  the  price  of  first  copy  is  lc.  If  the  order  is  by  au- 
thor and  title,  the  price  of  the  first  card  is  2\c,  provided 
that  the  order  is  in  satisfactory  form.  If  facts  essential 
to  the  ready  identification  of  the  book  for  which  cards 
are  wanted  are  missing,  or  if  order  is  not  correctly  ar- 
ranged, slight  extra  charges  are  made.  The  price  of 
first  copy  of   cards   ordered  by  subject  varies   directly 


22 


with  the  amount  of  work  required  in  selecting  the  cards, 
inversely  with  the  number  called  for  by  the  order.  The 
average  price  is  a  little  over  lc.  Price  can  be  quoted 
only  after  scope  of  the  order  has  been  defined. 

The  average  cost  per  book  of  the  cards  supplied  to 
libraries  for  cataloging  purposes  is  about  4c. 

Cards  are  sent  under  frank  to  libraries  in  U.  S.  A. 
(and  its  colonial  possessions),  Canada,  and  Mexico. 
The  charge  for  postage  to  foreign  countries  within  the 
Postal  Union  is  8c.  per  lb.  (about  5c.  per  100  cards)  ; 
this  is  added  to  the  usual  charge  for  cards.  Franks  for 
sending  in  orders  are  supplied  to  subscribers  in  U.  S.  A. 
(and  its  colonial  possessions). 

Method  of  Payment 

§14.  If  practicable,  libraries  and  other  institutions 
should  send  a  deposit  of  $1.00  or  more  with  their  first 
order  for  cards  and  renew  the  deposit  when  notified 
that  it  is  exhausted.  But  if  advance  payment  is  not 
practicable,  institutions  may  pay  at  monthly  or  quar- 
terly intervals.  Indiviuals  are  required  to  pay  for  cards 
in  advance.  If  the  exact  price  of  the  cards  desired  is 
known,  the  amount  should  accompany  the  order.  When 
the  approximate  cost  of  the  cards  is  known  and  it  is 
desired  to  receive  current  cards  in  continuation  of  the 
order,  an  amount  sufficient  to  pay  the  cost  of  cards  in 
stock  plus  the  cost  of  the  current  cards  for  at  least  three 
months  should  accompany  the  ordei.  In  all  other  cases, 
the  cost  of  the  cards  should  be  ascertained  before  any 
remittance  is  made.  Each  remittance  should  be  accom- 
panied by  a  letter  or  note  which  will  fully  identify  the 
remitter.  Remittances  should  not  be  inclosed  in  pack- 
ages of  order  slips.  All  checks  and  money  orders  should 
be  made  payable  to  "The  Librarian  of  Congress." 


23 


Card  Distribution  Work  of  the  Library  of  Congress 

§15.  "The  work  is  in  part,  at  least,  the  outcome  of  the 
efforts  and  experiments  of  the  American  Library  Asso- 
ciation in  cooperative  cataloging  which  began  with  the 
organization  of  the  association  in  1876." 

''The  printing  and  storing  of  cards  was  begun  in  1898. 
and  in  1901,  with  the  indorsement  of  the  American  Li- 
brary Association  collectively,  and  with  the  cordial  sup- 
port of  its  members  individually,  the  work  of  distribu- 
tion was  inaugurated." 

"The  number  of  libraries,  institutions,  and  individuals 
subscribing  to  cards  has  steadily  increased  from  212  in 
1901  to  over  1,200  on  June  1,  1909.  About  125  individu- 
als and  firms  are  now  ordering  the  cards,  chiefly  for  bib- 
liographical purposes.  The  remainder  of  the  subscribers 
are  libraries,  ordering  the  cards  chiefly  for  cataloging 
purposes.  The  returns  to  the  U.  S.  Government  from 
the  sale  of  cards  have  increased  from  $3,785  in  the  fiscal 
year  1901-2  to  over  $24,000  in  the  fiscal  year  1908-9. 
This  amount  practically  covers  the  cost  of  the  cards, 
the  cost  of  storage,  and  the  salaries  of  the  twenty-two 
assistants  engaged  in  distributing  them.  Taking  into 
account  the  great  utility  of  the  card  distributing  plant 
to  the  other  work  of  the  Library,  it  can  fairly  be  said 
that  the  service  to  outside  libraries  is  self-supporting." 

"The  work  seems  now  fully  established  as  an  impor- 
tant item  in  American  library  economy.  Although  all 
of  the  problems  connected  with  the  storage  and  distri- 
bution of  the  cards  are  by  no  means  solved,  no  one  in 
America  now  doubts  the  ability  of  the  Library  of  Con- 
gress to  solve  them."  (From  an  article  in  Zentralblatt 
fiir  Bibliothekswesen,  November,  1908,  p.  497-500,  with 
statistics  revised  to  date.) 


24 


Publications  of  the  Card  Section 

§16.  The  second  edition  of  the  Handbook  of  Card 
Distribution  entirely  superseded  the  first  edition.  It 
also  largely  superseded  several  of  the  Bulletins  of  the 
Card  Section.  The  publications  which  now  need  to  be 
consulted  are  the  following: 

Handbook  of  card  distribution,  2d  ed.     1907. 

Bulletin  5.  Special  sets,  1-2.  (Analytics  for  "Na- 
tiirlichen  Pflanzenfamilien"  and  "Pfianzenreich") 

Bulletin  7.  Catalogs,  classification  and  card  distribu- 
tion work  of  the  Library  of  Congress. 

Bulletin  9.  Special  sets,  3-5.  (Analytics  for  "An- 
nates de  la  science  agronomique,"  "Landwirtschaftliche 
jahrbiicher,"  and  "Landwirtschaftlichen  versuchs-statio- 
nen." 

Bulletin  10,  2d  ed.     Traveling  catalogs. 

Bulletin  13.     Cards  for  government  documents. 

Bulletin  14,  2d  ed.  Cards  for  publications  of  the 
U.  S.  Department  of  Agriculture. 

Bulletin  15,  2d  ed.  Cards  for  publications  of  the 
U.  S.  Geological  Survey  and  the  state  surveys. 

Bulletin  16.  Orders  by  series  for  cards  for  books  and 
monographs  in  series. 

Bulletin  17.  Series  of  publications  in  English  (ex- 
cluding those  for  American  history)  for  which  cards 
are  in  stock. 

Bulletin  18.  Series  of  publications  in  American  his- 
tory for  which  cards  are  in  stock. 

Bulletin  19.  Series  of  publications  in  foreign  lan- 
guages for  which  cards  are  in  stock. 

Bulletin  20.  Cards  for  books  and  pamphlets  printed 
in  America  before  1801. 

Bulletin  21.  Cards  for  publications  of  U.  S.  Bureau 
of  Education,  cards  for  the  literature  of  education. 


OP  TH£ 

(UNIV. 


Li 


